Environment Research Funders' Forum

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  • Report 05
  • Report 04
  • Report 03
  • Report 02
  • Report 01
  • 2007 Horizon scanning study
  • Current Practice Review
  • Environmental monitoring analysis
  • Baseline review
  • Workplan 2004/2006
  • 2004 ERFF review
  • Environmental science analysis
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• ERFF Report 01 - Progress report 2004-2007
  and delivery plan 2007-2010 (1·55MB)

This report, published in September 2007, details the vision and achievements of the Environment Research Funders' Forum, and lays out a plan of the proposed activities for 2007-2010.

After their inception in 2002, the Environment Research Funders' Forum undertook a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis. The recommendations from the analysis formed the backbone of the forum's activities during 2004-2007.

During 2004-2007 the forum:

• Facilitated a culture of partnership and collaboration.
• Coordinated input to the government Comprehensive Spending Review 2007.
• Reviewed the environmental research funded by members during 2004-05 and carried out a review of UK monitoring activities (not only those funded by ERFF members). Databases, to hold the information about individual research projects and monitoring activities, were created and high level analyses performed. Actions from the recommendations are to be taken forward in 2007-2010.
• Reviewed the uptake of research to inform decision-making and the identification of current environmental training schemes within member organisations. Both highlighted the need for increased alignment of research programmes and skills training to inform policy.

The Delivery Plan for 2007-2010 builds upon the previous work of the Environment Research Funders' Forum. The forum will:

• Continue to facilitate a coordinated approach between members.
• Encourage improved use of environmental research within the UK.
• Continue initial work on environmental training needs.
• Update and analyses data within the environmental research and monitoring databases. The new versions will be released on the web.

Three additional programmes of work will be initiated:

• Horizon Scanning: A 20 year forward look to identify potential uncertainty for environmental science in the UK.
• Recommendations from the Review of Environmental Monitoring will be taken forward by:
  
  1. scoping out the viability of the project;
  2. development and implementation.
• A second SWOT analysis will be undertaken in 2010, with a focus on national capability and infrastructure.